The embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for detecting interfering devices in a wireless network. More particularly, but not exclusively, the embodiments relate to detecting sources of radio interference in a wireless local area network (WLAN).
Wireless communication systems pose unique problems not typically associated with wired systems. For example, many devices in wireless networks (e.g., WLAN) broadcast and/or receive signals using omnidirectional antennas. Omnidirectional signal transmissions are used to provide simultaneous coverage between multiple user stations without concentrating transmitted power to any one particular user. This may often result in unequal reception of transmitted signal energy between users due to distance, obstacles, signal scattering and/or signal reflections. Accordingly, components of a signal arriving at a receiver in a wireless network may often be spread out over a longer period of time than is desirable.
Additionally, wireless networks, for example those utilizing unlicensed frequency spectrums such as WLAN or Bluetooth, may experience interference from other non-network wireless devices using similar frequency bands within range of the wireless network. Non-network wireless devices may attempt to use the same channel resources used in the wireless network and thus create interference within the wireless network. It is therefore desirable to be able to detect and/or locate the interfering device(s) so they may be turned off, moved to another non-interfering location, and/or changed to utilize a different frequency spectrum.